


You set the night on fire (but I'll still be here in the morning)

by pablohoney



Series: An exploration of human emotion and relationships [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bisexual Sam Wilson, Declarations Of Love, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, M/M, POV Sam Wilson, Sam Wilson Feels, Sam Wilson Needs a Hug, Sam Wilson is a Gift, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-05
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-07-25 15:01:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16199927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pablohoney/pseuds/pablohoney
Summary: And Sam thinks there's a fucking tsunami goin' on in his stomach with all these butterflies. Fucking fuck, he's gonna die with half a heart and blue-balls.Wherein Sam Wilson is hopelessly in love.And his person loves him back.





	You set the night on fire (but I'll still be here in the morning)

**Author's Note:**

> for all us sam/riley shippers :(

The night is deadly, Sam thinks, in more ways than one. It's quiet, but never really silent. An inky black blanket covering what seems to be the entire world. And night time has  always been one of Sam Wilson's most favourite things, before joining the military and even after, it's the only time he finds solace, despite all the shit he's seen in documentaries and movies about the dark creatures rising, taking and killing during the night, creatures that are human.

But hidden under masses of trees, branches and leaves, Sam lays with the one and only Riley. They're supposed to be keeping watch- kind of, their unit is well camouflaged within the forest, but its better to be safe than sorry. So, here they were, Sam and Riley, not really keeping watch at all. But at three a.m in the morning Sam could give less of a shit about keeping watch in such a secluded area and more about how his nose, fingertips and toes were going to positively fall off with how cold it was.

The plains were normally scorching during the days but at night they cool off, living becomes more bearable, but it had rained during the day which not only made the grass both he and Riley were sitting on wet, but there was a chilly breeze that withered too and fro, being in the heat for so long made them unused and unfamiliar to the cold.

"I'm still freezing!" Riley whines, tightening his hold of the blanket around him. Sam chuckles as he watches the man trying to make himself as small as possible in attempt to keep all the heat in.

"Man, you have one blanket all to yourself and on top of that _my_ blanket on you as well." Sam mutters back, picking at the dead-grass. the tree's feeling uncomfortable against his back and his ass feels numb.

Better than standing he thinks, _way better._

"Its not enough!" Riley complains, dragging out the "ou" of enough.

"Dammit Riles, can't exactly bring a space heater out here just to warm your dumb ass up." Sam huffs, the late of the night sinks into his bones, he feels exhausted.

"Well they should." Riley pouts, sulking as he nestles further into the thin blanket. and goddamn, damn everything in his entire life because all Sam wants to do is _kiss that frown away._

_"_ Is this any better?" Sam asks, begrudgingly throwing an arm over Riley's shoulder.  Begrudgingly not being the key term here because all Sam has wanted to do since getting to know the blonde next to him, is kiss the fuck out of him and cuddle him and just love the fuck out of him- well maybe that two things more than one.

The blonde scooches closer, trying to feel more of that warmth with soft humming noises. "Hmm," sounding like he's not comfortable, not enough. Then, Sam feels long fingers move his legs apart and then there's a body moving in between that open space, a head on his chest and his own arm wrapped around that very body, Sam moves his other arm to join his other hand effectively creating a cocoon for the body in it's embrace. "Mmm, much better." Riley mumbles, snuggling further into Sams chest.

"I- You- Riley-!"

"My little homme oiseau is rendered speechless." Riley mocks in a French-accent. Th _at little bastard._

Sam finds his voice, gathers his thoughts, _"Espèce d'idiot. Et moi qui pensais qu'on commençait à bien s'entendre."_ Sam smirks at Rileys shocked expression, head tilted up as he watches Sam face with confusion.

"Ah, is what you say- er," Sam mocks with that same French accent. "I did French up until college, and then after graduating I lived and worked in France for about two years before coming back and joining the military."

"Oh... wow.." Riley's hands pick at Sam's bulletproof vest (saftey precautions). There's a second of silence, Sam thinks the sound of his own breathing is jarring before Riley murmers, voice soft like gentle ocean tides."You're... so fucking talented, you do so much for _us all_ , Sam- tu es incroyable." ( _Sam you are amazing.)_

And Sam thinks there's a fucking tsunami goin' on in his stomach with all these butterflies. _Fucking_ fuck, he's gonna die with half a heart and blue-balls.

_"_ All these compliments! Who are you? and what have you done to my Riley?" Sam gasps, mock horror. Probably speaking louder than he should but that gets a laugh out of Riley, a flash of straight white teeth _and the sweetest dimples-_

_Woah there Wilson, calm yourself._

" _Your_ Riley huh? Since when? " Riley teases. Poking Sam's  chest. The blanket slips off his shoulders in all their faffing and he feels Sam pull it back up, holding him tighter- God he loves this man so much.

"Since I had to drag your cold wet ass from that river because your dumb ass jumped in too fast and froze up."

"Fuck off." Riley whines- _that's my baby_ , Sam thinks watching as Riley slaps his chest. "Oh yeah. MY mistakes are what you remember but don't you recall when _your_ dumb ass got stuck in that tree because you tried parachuting down and misjudged the fall."

"Rookie mistake." Sam says brushing it off.

"No... this happened yesterday... you were dangling on that tree by the shoulder straps of the parachute..."

" _SO?." Sa_ m retorts.

"SO?" Riley mocks, "We had to come rescue you like how you would with a kitten who climbed too far up. 'NO! YOUR SHAKING THE BRANCH. IMMA FALL, IMMA DIE. JAKE YOU'RE SHAKING THE TREE. OH LORD FORGIVE ME FOR MY SINS, SOMEBODY CALL MY MOM, TELL HER IMMA DIE AND I LOVE HER! RILEY!." Riley mimics, cackling and whispering loudly as he pokes Sam.

Sam scoffs, pinching Rileys thigh as a retort, feeling too tired to think of a witty response. He'll let Riley have this one- just this once. "Fuck off, it's past your bed time shut up.

Riley mimics Sam again before Sam clamps a hand over that mouth, "Promise me that you'll be quiet for five minutes and I swear on everything that I have and my bird feathers that I'll give you my desserts for two whole days AND I'll tell cap about how good you are and get you to come on exo-7 with me."

Riley looks starry eyed at that as he peers up at Sam, " _Really_? You'd do that for little old _me_?"

"Not if you keep jabbering on like that." Sam confirms.

"Oh sammy, I just love you so mu-"

"Uh-uh-uh, one last chance and the deals off."

There's  silence that follows that moment, just the crickets chirping in the distance away, a gentle rustle of leaves from the breeze and the night feels calm, serene, just the way sam likes it. maybe even better with the warm body in his arms- oh _So much better._

"How long we got left?" Riley asks, voice soft and sleep drowsy. Sam would've mentioned something about how he spoke so their deal was void, but something in his heart just melts and Riley looks and sounds so _sweet, soft kitten, I just want to_ -

"We're almost up, if my watch is correct." Sam says, cutting off _that_ previous train of thought.

"Thank fuck. My ass aches more than im comfortable with and and this point my fingers are gonna drop off with frostbite."

"And I'm not keeping you warm enough?" Sam asks, he can't help but smile his boy-no-. Friend. His. Riley makes him laugh in all the best ways possible.

Even when Sam hates himself for being here,  watching innocent civilians being shot down or even their own men. There's never a day where it's just living, something always happens, someone always dies. Since being a part of the military Sam's thought of himseld as a mediator of sorts, therapist in some ways, especially when the men in their squad come to Sam's tent because of a nightmare that they can't sleep after, because of the all consuming guilt that pressurised in their chests from all the blood on their hands. Sam does pride himself in being able to help, in being a body, a person to talk to with no judgement. he's proud of the fact that people trust him and are able to confide in him. but Sam has bad days too. And when Sam has to take a step back, when Sam himself is drowning in all the hurt, anger and pain of being here, Rileys always there, with open arms, warmth and love to bring him back to surface and keep him floating.

"You're more of a comfy back-rest. you're getting a little soft here Wilson," Riley pokes his abdomen, "you really _have_ let yourself go huh."

"Kid, I'm pure fucking muscle. Ain't  nothin' here but muscle, you feel this?" He takes Riley hands and places them on his thighs. "Muscles. what I call two a.m crying sessions at the gym. But  you wouldn't know any thing about that would you." Sam swipes, jabbing at Rileys arms. "All sticks 'n' bones. disgusting. do you not get fed?"

Riley giggles at that, sleep drunk- he's practically half asleep at this point, Sam doesn't know how but he thinks he falls in love even more. "Because you're soooo strong and muscley...and...strong... si fort...can you carry me back to my.. to my.. my tent if I...Si je dors.. sleep?"

"I'd leave you here outside. sorry shorty you're either awake or not."

"But sammmmmy" _Oh, that wakes him up,_ Sam thinks with a smjle, "I thought we had a connection here." Riley sniffles. eyes closed, just the top part of his face peeking from his little blanket nest. Sam has never felt so warm. despite how his body aches with the extra weight of Riley and being on the hard unforgiving ground, his fingers that are bordering on painful with how cold they are from holding riley. Sam feels the most at east and the happiest he's felt in a while.. a _long_ while.

"Ahh,  la tendresse et l'espoir , mon chéri, the only connection we share is trying to not to die in this fucking war, or right now from this cold."

"Always so pessimistic. Tu dois te détendre, Samuel." Riley mutters, curling his fingers around the shoulder straps of Sams bullet proof vest. "Do you.. ever think about what- what happens after... all this."

Sam breathes a little more deeply at that, it's a painful thing to think about because _no one knows when or how they're going to be able to leave. dead or so badly injured they can't function. They don't know. Sam doesn't know._ "Kinda, I just..."

Riley shuffles a little bit before he sits up, facing Sam. his eyes are gentle- he fucking gets it. He always does. God above and beyond, he loves this little bastard _so unfairly much_.

"What?" Sam asks, "Why'd you get up?"

"Just..." Riley looks at him with a gaze so soft, _so fond_. Sam finds his own breath stuck in his throat as he tries to comprehend what changed. "Today had me thinking about shit-"

"Riley using his brain!? who would've thought!" Sam tries to joke, to lighten the atmosphere. It feels heavy with an emotion that Sam is all too familiar with yet it feels so strange and so new and slightly uncomfortable. Though rileys lips curve into a slight-barely there smile, his eyes are  serious, he looks sombre, the fondness fading away. Sam doesn't like it.

"Mais ce ne sera pas facile, car tu vas me manquer-" _oh. French. T_ heir little comfort and safe language. Where the words didn't seem as icy and cold, set in stone like English. flowing vowels and rolling tongues, a softness to the language that eased their words.

"What? miss me? I'm not dying riles!"

"Je t'aime tellement, mon coeur.."

"Riley-"

"Espère que tu sais que."

"You-" Sam feels his heart in his throat, eyes stinging, he grits his teeth- _he's not going to cry._

_Is Riley being serious, what does he mean, why is little shit beung so cryptic-_

"Ce qui importe, c'est que je t'aime beaucoup. I want to be with you.. if you feel the same- it's okay if you don't..." Riley trails off in a whisper, Sam's gaping at him because _holy shit_. Holy shit. His seemingly life-long crush just admitted his feelings. fucking hell, Sam's dying. No, he's _actually dying_ and he's going to heaven. That's what it is. This is what heaven is.

Sam must wait for a beat too long because all of a sudden there's shuffling and sniffling. Tears. _No_. "Riley!" _Too loud Wilson!_

"Huh?" oh, those beautiful sea-green eyes, full of sadness, rejection. _No_.

Without knowing how else to say it, Sam moves closer, grasping Rileys face, he hears a hitched gasp before he finally, _finally,_ makes contact with those plush lips. _oh_ he's in heaven, the birds are singing and everything is right in this world again. His soul is pieced and his heart is full.

And fuck, _fucking fuck_. There's- his eyes- they're stinging, fucking hell, he's gonna cry, _no he's not going to cry_ , he's _absolutely not going to cry._ Oh, but _oh,_ _he's crying_ , he's crying and he can't stop it. _He's crying over this kiss!_ Sam can't shake the feeling of _fucking finally,_ everything he's ever wanted in front of him and reciprocating his feelings, it's not something you get everyday, certainly not in Sam's experiences.

"You're crying." Riley points out bluntly with his own tears streaking his face.

" _So_?" Sam tries, mock defensive, sniffling and trying to wipe his tears away but they keep falling, and falling, and falling, and Sam thinks, that they're never going to stop because every time he thinks all he can feel is how happy and pieced he is, how much he's been craving this and how he finally has, him.

" _You're crying."_ Riley emphasis and then giggles, smiling with glee. "You, Samuel Thomas Wilson, are crying. You never cry!"

_oh! Riley just middle named him-_

" _What_? Now I don't have the ability to cry? I am human you dick." There's a mumble of a "anything but human" but Sam swats Riley, seconds, looking at each other with eyes brimmed with happiness. Sam pulls them closer together, foreheads and noses touching once again as he speaks upon Riley's lips, "Je t'aime tellement- _so, so much_. Did the kiss not say enough?"

Riley makes a thinking face for a second before saying "No." and pulls Sam's face in for another kiss, and another, and another-

And Sam thinks, when they both settle back down, Riley swirling mindless patterns on to the back of Sam's hand as he tries to keep them warm, as the sun rises and the new day dawns, before they're called for duty,that the only logical and honest explantation as to why he adores the nights so much is;

Well it isn't the peace, calm and serenity. (though those are added and much appreciated  bonuses.)

It's not the thrill he gets with being outside in complete darkness, (despite the fact that he's twenty-eight years old and in a fucking warzone.)

Nor is it the moon or the stars that shine so brightly and prettily.-

It is simply because he gets to be with Riley.

(All his undivided attention is able to be focused on the one being that makes his entire world feel whole. and it's a scary thing that is, relying on someone else so heavily for your own happiness, but Sam's been war beaten and hardened enough to just want to allow himself to sink into the softness of love, despite all it's tribulations-all it's hardships and sacrifices. Love is all he wants to feel. and all he wants to give.)

**Author's Note:**

> unedited 
> 
> the french: (if you a French-speaking person I am so SORRY, such a beautiful language but Google translate only helps so much.)


End file.
